Need a Reminder: Purity
by tikvarn
Summary: "As dark and evil as the world they worked in may seem, there were still some things that were good, some things that were innocent, some things that were pure." Told from Oliver's POV. Slight Oliver/Zoe, Sam/Andy, Gail/Chris, Jerry/Traci. FicTacToe!


_Author's Note: Woohoo! Third part of the TicTacToe challenge! If you haven't read about it yet, check out my profile page for more info and for the link to the stories Whitters and I have written for the challenge. I hope you enjoy!_

_I'm taking liberty with this story and using this definition of chastity: _Noun. 1. The state of being pure. (World English Dictionary).

_Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue. _

**Need a Reminder: Purity. **

At first Oliver was content to ignore the incessant beeping of the alarm clock. If there was anything he had learned as a training officer, it was how to block out annoying noises. It wasn't until he heard a groan from the other side of the bed followed by his name and an expletive that she would never admit she said, that he actually summoned the energy to reach over and turn it off.

Rolling over, he moved across the bed and wrapped an arm around his wife, snuggling in behind her. She sighed and scooted back towards him, resting her head on his crooked elbow. Their bodies knew the feel of each other well after so many years and they melded together perfectly. Oliver slipped his hand under the cotton of her t-shirt and rested it on her soft, warm stomach. He considered moving his hand upwards, trailing over her smooth skin until he heard her ask in a sleepy voice, "What time is everyone coming over?"

"Around five," he answered, nuzzling his nose into the mass of dark curls she called hair. Their daughters had the same hair their mother did; unruly, dark and shiny, coiling to their shoulders on a good day. Throw in some humidity and the hair sprang from its roots, uncontrollable by any product known to man.

"You've got some work to do before then," she teased lightly, running her fingers over the arm that crossed her waist.

"Just a couple more minutes," he pleaded, pulling her tightly against him, finding comfort in the warmth of her body pressed against his, in her familiar curves.

They lay together, perfectly still, as the morning light streamed in on them. A small smile spread across Oliver's face as he heard the thumping of little feet running down the hallway.

"Guess who's awake?" Zoe asked, laughing as the sound grew closer.

"Is the door locked?" He grumbled.

She smiled, "You know its not." No sooner had she spoken the words than was the door thrown open and their calm, peaceful morning interrupted.

Oliver wouldn't have had it any other way.

"Wake up!" Madison, their precocious seven-year-old, yelled, dive-bombing onto their bed.

Oliver groaned exaggeratedly and pulled the covers over his and Zoe's heads, pretending to hide from the girls.

"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" Emily, five years old and bounding with energy, screamed over and over, hopping on her hands and knees.

"Someone's excited to see you," Zoe murmured, somehow managing to turn to face him in the midst of the chaos.

Oliver winked at her and pressed a quick kiss against her lips before taking a deep breath and throwing the covers off of them. "Who's that jumping on my bed?" He growled, scooping the giggling girls up into his arms.

"It's me Daddy," Emily beamed, wrapping her arms around his neck, "It's me!"

* * *

It had been a difficult week for the officers of the 15th division. Long days culminating with a child abduction on Thursday that ran into the early hours of Friday morning.

It hadn't ended as well as Rebecca Lee's case.

Not even close.

Oliver and Sam were the ones that found the body of the little boy.

They had been combing a park right outside of the city when Sam pulled back some fallen tree limbs and saw him. "Damn it," he swore, inhaling sharply. Oliver knelt down to check for a pulse, hoping against hope that there was some way the boy was still alive, but he couldn't find one.

He heard twigs snapping and leaves rustling and looked up to see Andy running towards them. "Did you find him?" She called, a trace of hope in her voice.

Before she could get to them, Sam turned away from the boy and moved in front of her, physically blocking his partner from getting close enough to see the body.

"Is he alive?" She asked desperately. Oliver could see Andy's eyes widen with fear as she tried to push her way past Sam. "Let me see."

"McNally," Oliver said, shaking his head, "He's dead."

Andy continued to fight Sam, but he stood firm and eventually she had collapsed against him, choking back tearless sobs.

Oliver radioed it in and the three of them stood in stony silence, waiting for the others to join them. Oliver watched as the officers arrived, each looking more tired and haggard than the last. Most of them had been out all night searching, praying that there was still a chance they would find the boy alive. Exhaustion, disappointment and the weight of the boy's death were evident in the lines on their faces and in the furrow of their brow as they stumbled to the site.

After getting back to the station and cleaning up, Oliver impulsively invited them all over for a cookout the next day. "Come over," he said, "We'll grill some burgers, drink some beer. Hang out."

"You sure?" Sam asked.

Oliver nodded firmly. "Yeah." He surveyed the discouraged faces of those around him. "I think we need it."

* * *

Traci, Jerry and Leo arrived first, bearing food and drinks. Zoe greeted them and quickly ushered them through the family's home, out to the back. Oliver was already prepping the grill and they all laughed at his ridiculous "Please DON'T Kiss the Cook" apron.

"I thought it was supposed to be _Kiss the Cook,_" Jerry said.

"If you want to keep those pretty lips of yours attached to your face you'll stay far away, Barber," Oliver warned with a good-natured grin. Jerry just winked and blew him a kiss.

His daughters were thrilled to meet Leo and immediately asked him to be their friend and join them on a magical adventure in the fairytale land that was their backyard. Traci sternly reminded him not to get in any trouble and then watched on with a smile as they led him away. Jerry waved to Leo before grabbing Traci's hand and pulling her down to sit on his lap, grinning as she gave a startled laugh.

Diaz, Peck and Epstein had shown up together next, the Three Musketeers. Oliver observed as Epstein challenged Diaz to a game of horseshoes and the two quickly became engrossed in trying to beat the other. Gail grabbed a beer and sat down beside Traci and Jerry and the three of them turned their chairs to watch the game, cheering and jeering for the boys in equal measure.

Though the rookies appeared to be having a good time, the mood was somber as everyone was still thinking about the day they had before. Oliver noticed that someone would laugh or smile and then a look would darken their eyes and a quick frown would cover their face.

He knew the look well. The look of "Should I really be having a good time when I know what people are capable of?" Overtime he had come to accept that things were not fair, that it didn't make sense that one day he could be in the midst of the most evil things and the world and the next be surrounded by the most precious.

Sam arrived next and stood beside him as he grilled, drinking a beer, joking about the afternoon they had spent trying to put together the girls' swing set.

"I was ready to hang you from it by the time we finished," Oliver told him.

"Me?" Sam questioned in disbelief, raising his bottle to his lips and taking a sip, "You were the one that threw the directions away. I can't believe Zoe actually lets the girls play on it."

"She trusts her husband," Oliver informed him.

"I do?" Zoe asked, coming up behind him with a new plate of hamburgers ready to go on the grill.

Oliver nodded, taking the plate from her. "You do."

"Good to know," Zoe said, grinning. She looked from her husband over to Sam and patted him on the shoulder. "Sam, its good to see you."

"You too, Zo," Sam said, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"Hey, hey," Oliver scolded, swatting him with a spatula, "Get your own wife."

Sam made a face. "You got burger juice on my shirt," he said, inspecting his sleeve.

Oliver just laughed but Zoe slapped him on the arm and told Sam she had one of those on-the-go stain removers somewhere and that she'd be right back.

"Is McNally coming?" Oliver asked.

Sam shrugged, "She said she was yesterday, I don't know." Oliver gave Sam one of his knowing looks and Sam just shook his head, "Don't start, man."

"You know," Oliver said cautiously. "You're not her training officer anymore."

Sam nodded and was about to respond when they were interrupted. "Hey guys," Andy said, coming up behind them. "Sorry I'm late."

"Wouldn't expect anything less McNally," Oliver teased her with a wink. Andy just smirked back at him, knowing the teasing was all in good fun. Most of the time.

Zoe came out of the house and handed Sam a stain remover pen. "Try this," she said, narrowing her eyes at the back of her husband's head. "If it doesn't come out Oliver will buy you a new shirt."

Oliver was focused on flipping the burgers but quickly shook his head. "No I won't."

"Hi Andy," Zoe said, reaching up to hug the taller woman. "Where's Luke?"

"He wanted to come," Andy apologized with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "but he's working."

Oliver nodded as Zoe took the bags of chips that Andy held out. "Well just tell him we missed him," she said brightly.

"I will," Andy said, taking the beer Sam offered her before going to join her friends.

After everyone had eaten the adults gathered their lawn chairs together and talked while the kids ran around, playing tag and catching lightening bugs.

Jerry and Traci sat beside one another, their fingers intertwined, as they talked with Sam and Andy.

Chris had taken Gail over to the swing set and was pushing her lightly on one of the swings, both with content smiles on their faces.

Epstein, his eyes wide, regaled Oliver and Zoe with the story of his very first high speed chase. "I was there, buddy," Oliver grumped, "I remember." Zoe shot a look at her husband before turning back to Dov, "I wasn't there, tell me all about it."

"I'm just going to go get another beer," Oliver said, standing from his seat. Epstein barely nodded in acknowledgment of his departure before continuing his story.

Oliver walked back up to the porch and grabbed a beer out of the cooler. Madison, Emily and Leo ran between the chairs, laughing and giggling as they pretended to fight off the dragons that were threatening to take over their kingdom. One by one the conversations ceased among the adults as they sat back in their chairs, slowly being drawn in to the fantasyland the children created. The smiles that had been forced at the beginning of the night were becoming wider and brighter at each squeal of delight from the kids.

Dov was the first to join in the fight when Leo handed him a small twig, his "sword". Eventually the others joined in as well, taking orders from the children as to how best defend the backyard against Sam and Jerry, who were deemed the dragons.

No one really understood the rules, but it didn't matter.

Oliver quietly observed the action from the porch. Zoe came to stand beside him, wrapping her arm around his waist and he pressed a kiss against the top of her head.

They watched together as Gail, Andy and Traci hid behind the swing set with Emily and surprised Jerry in a sneak attack.

They watched as Madison squealed with glee when Sam lifted her onto his shoulders and spun around.

They watched as Diaz and Epstein squatted to the ground with Leo and drew plans with their fingers of an elaborate and intricate attack.

As he surveyed the scene that was playing out in his backyard, Oliver came to a conclusion. He may not be the handsome one, he may not even be the smart one, but he could offer his friends this; a glimpse into what they were fighting for everyday. He could pull them out of the bubble they so easily became encapsulated in, became obsessed with. He could give them the knowledge that as dark and evil as the world they worked in may seem, there were still some things that were good, some things that were innocent, some things that were pure.


End file.
